Wellingham talks 'not about cash'

Wellingham talks not about cash - The West Australian

Sharrod Wellingham's manager has denied the Collingwood midfielder's decision to consider offers from West Coast and Fremantle is about money, saying the premiership star could receive bigger contracts from other clubs.

Wellingham will return to Melbourne today after meeting Eagles and Dockers officials on Monday.

He has a holiday booked for this weekend and will make his decision before leaving.

Collingwood yesterday bolstered their forward line and ruck stocks by signing West Coast free agent Quinten Lynch for two years.

Wellingham was recruited from Perth and his manager Carlos Da Costa said the 24-year-old had to decide whether it was time to move home.

"It's not about dollars and cents, because dollars and cents we are not far apart," Da Costa said.

"It's about where he wants to play football now. Does he want to come home and finish his career playing at home because he is a WA boy?

"The hardest thing is that he loves the lifestyle of playing in Melbourne. His best mate is Buddy Franklin, he's a premiership player at Collingwood so there are a lot of things he has to weigh up."

The Eagles and Dockers are keen to add speed and skill to their midfields. Fremantle have already lodged a three-year contract offer for Port Adelaide's Danyle Pearce under free agency rules and Port Adelaide have until tomorrow to match that offer or lose the 2006 AFL Rising Star.

West Coast are already on target to lure Jamie Cripps from St Kilda and Koby Stevens has asked to be traded to a Victorian club after battling for opportunities at West Coast. He is likely to be suggested as part of that trade.

Lynch will join the Pies in the role which saw him post top-four best-and-fairest finishes in 2008 and 2009 when rotating between the forward line and ruck.

He played 209 games for West Coast, including the 2006 premiership, but the Eagles offered him only a one-year contract.

"So many things appealed to me about the move," Lynch said.

"It was exciting to think that I could play for the biggest club in the game and challenge myself at the same time to play a flexible role, which is what we have discussed.

"The idea of playing on the MCG every second week was really attractive, too.

"I'm a life member of West Coast and I'll always think well of the club. So I hope everyone there understands that joining Collingwood was an opportunity I couldn't refuse.

"The chance to reinvigorate and extend my career in Melbourne, with Collingwood, I had to take."